The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-08-18

10 little csbin. OF only one room. yer.
rcdeiy buil, aud neither painted nor plss
tered. There vss very little furniture II
the esbln. snd that OF the simplest kind
bed. aud . funny little lounge. msd'
from . packing bor. which Was Miles
bed ss night. two or three chairs, store
and table. Some cooking utensils hunf
upon tia rough walls. and near BY was .
teni, where they sat Ia the middle OF The
day, when IL vas too warm 10 the cabin,
and sometimes ate their meals; and ham
mock swung from the tall old trees. Bat
when il grew cool st night they alsays
vent into the cabin, for higher up 10 the
mountains were ears and mountain ions,
a sor OF panther and although II was
not probable that they would stray so far,
still papa said be wished to be on tha safe
side ~ be did not think such visitors, 10
. tent, would be pleasant 30 when bed
time came they went iuto the cabin and
locked the door securely.
| They had no near neighbors. II was
several miles TO the nearest house, but
Miliie enjoyed the wild mountains very
much She carried her favorite doll, Lou
ise Hortense. with her, aud there was
Bruno also, a great ST. Bernard dog to
follow her about and TO take care Of her.
He could always find the way home. Aud,
best Of ALL there we're three little kittens
The mice were very troublesome 10 the
cabin. So the little girl played happily
through the long. summer days, some
times climbing the mountains to gather
the lelutiful wild flowers which grew in
the greatest profusion; sometimes playing
beside the brook that rippled through
the canon. think little girl who had
the Rocky mountains for . playground
and such pleasant plsyfellows, ought to
have been contentcd, don't you?
Perhaps you don't know what is meant
by pre.empting. In many Of the western
states the United States government owns
much Of the land. People who wish to
settle on the land can do so, under certain
conditions, and one OF the ways Of doing
80 is called pre-empting. Presumption
really means the first right to buy, and
when people have selected their land,
built house upon IL and lived in the
house six months, then they can buy the
land OF the government. People usually
choose land. in pre-empting, which will
make good farms. but Mr.. Ward, Miles
papa, was sn invalid. He had come to
Colorado hoping to get better, and he
wanted little place Of his own up in the
mountains, among the evergreens, where
the pure sir and fragrant ordors Of the
the pines would, it was hoped, do much
TO make him we'll. So he chose spot far
up rocky canon. There was no wagon
road to it. only narrow path, or trail, as
they say in Colorado, which was no wider
than q COW path in New England pas
ture, and wound around, crossing and re-
crossing the little brook, sometimes close
to its bed and sometimes high up on the
wall OF the canon, where 6 single msstep
would have sent them down steep preci-
pice hundreds OF feet, upon the rocks be-
low.
The cabin was built in an open spot,
where the canon widened out into little
glen. All the lumber for building, the
furniture, the baggage, the old pussy and
her kittens, had to be carried up the trail
on the backs Of bufros. "Burro" is
Spanish word aning donkey. Many
years ago Spsnards lived in this part OF
our country, aud the old Spanish names
are still often used. The little burros are ,
very strong. and it is wonderful to see
what heavy loads they carry. train OF
burros. loaded with packs to go into the
is q very interesting sight.
They are surefooted and never make a
misstep, even 10 the steepest and most
rocky places. People often say, Stupid
as a donkey" but these little burros are
not stupid at all. Mlllie thought htr
Tufto one OF the wisest little animals that
ever lived. il
Once each week Mr. Ward rode Tufto
down to the city. and brought home fresh
supplies for the cabin, aud the letters and ,
papers which were sure to be waiting for
them at the postofice. He always started
very early in the morning, often before
Millie was awake. So she was not sur {
prised when she awoke one bright, pleas
mt morning. and found that her papa had
already been gone more than an hour.
But abe was surprised and little vexed to '
iud that Bruno had followed him. He /
vas never allowed 10 60 with Mr.. Ward on 8
1is trips to the city, for it was his duty to
'tay at home and take care OF Mrs. Ward i
md Mile, but be had slipped away this +
lime. no one knew how, but there was +
,othing 10 do but make they best Of it. 7
MilIie played close by the cabin all the
until it was time for her early
Inner. Afterwards she helped mamms ,
rash the dishes. and then Mrs. Ward :
brew herself into the hammock 10 rest a
md soon fell asleep. and Millie began TO /,
eel restless and lonely II Bruno bad Il
,nly been At home, she conld have gone TO
bio woods 10 play, but she Was not allowed
. 20 alone, for fear she would get lost =.
Sow We oil know how attractive those !.
hings which We are not allowed always n
ire. and the more Millie thought Of the |,
,ool. dark woods. the more abe felt as il b
be could no. stay away from them. She
Inev very well how naughty !. vas, bot, .
rheu abe sac how soundly mamma was 2
leepine. she caught mp Topsy. the little b
black kitten. tucked Louise Hortensc 10
Ter her arm and ran away as iss. as she n
,ouid into the very heart of tie forest :.